STEWARDSHIP
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St George Greek Orthodox Church
Bringing Orthodoxy to Kern County |
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Your St. George Stewardship Committee met with Rev. Fr. James Retelas, the Stewardship Chairman for our Metropolis. Fr. James has been showing both small and large Parishes how to grow both spiritually and in numbers. Fr. James examined our financial statements and asked us many questions concerning our Parish and listened carefully. Using his many years of experience, he analyzed our Parish from several different aspects, and came to the conclusion that we are a normal healthy Parish with great potential to grow. He encouraged us to first develop a clear Christian vision and mission for our Parish, and then cultivate a strong Stewardship program to support the mission and make our Parish’s vision a reality. We should have a vision based on the mission of the Church as a whole; that is, on Missionary activity around the world, as well as missionary activity within our community by spreading our Greek Orthodox Faith beyond our Church walls. Our Orthodox forefathers started out with nothing, but they had a vision and worked hard to preserve our Faith and to build our Church. The following generations carried this vision and worked hard to continue our Faith and expand our facilities to give us what we have today. Now it is our turn to carry the vision, and not simply preserve the Faith and facilities handed down to us, but to go beyond what they did and to carry the Gospel to the world, as Christ commands us. He encouraged us as members of the Parish Council and Stewardship committee members to set the example in our stewardship commitment. Fr. James explained to us that when Jesus encouraged secrecy about giving, He was not referring to the stewardship tithe that was the public standard for the people of God in His time, but to gifts people made above and beyond that. Thus, Fr. James told us we as Parish leaders should be very public with what we are giving personally in stewardship, but not what we are giving above and beyond that. Fr. James also said that though our Parish has a minimum for membership purposes (which will remain the same), as examples in leadership we should set a voluntary minimum based on our individual financial situation rather than on an arbitrary number set across the board. The aim for all the Churches of our Metropolis is to encourage our faithful to offer our Lord $1 a week in Stewardship for every $1000 our Lord provides us in annual income. The Members of the Parish Council and Stewardship Committee were enthusiastic about setting the example themselves for the entire Parish. Fr. Joseph and Presbytera will set the example for the Parish Council and pledge $2/wk for every $1000. He encouraged us to begin every quarter providing every Parish family a packet of Stewardship envelopes that are dated for every week and have a unique number pertaining to each Parishioner. In this way, Parishioners giving cash in the tray can simply place it in the envelopes and have it credited to their stewardship, as well as get a tax deductible receipt for tax purposes. It also helps them keep track of their Stewardship giving and encourages gradual and steady giving through-out the year. He also encouraged us to make our Parish the sole recipient of our charitable giving, then have the Parish as a community budget charitable gifts back to the Community (with the help of the Philoptochos?). This way, everyone shares the joy and reward of giving. Examples of suggested voluntary Stewardship Yearly income Voluntary Stewardship $5,000 5$/wk $10,000 10$/wk $15,000 15$/wk $40,000 40$/wk $60,000 60$/wk $100,000 100$/wk 2007 Stewards “Choose this day whom you will serve, …but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:15 | ||||
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Agalos, Phyllis |
Madain, Butros & Bessema Madain, Safi & Amy Magnis, Dr. Yannis Mansour, Maurice & Archilea Marantos, Helen Matalka, Afif & Lamis Mattly, Bessie Maynard, Derick & Bethany McNaughton, Chris (Paul) Mekhel, Naguib & Mary Mesfin, Yohannes & Fontanish Metropulos, Mary Mitchell, Athene Mitchell, Peter & Anastasia Moosios, Bert & Louise Nasrawi, Nadia Obrocea, Dr. Gabriela Papadimitrakis,Polivios&Margarita Pappas, Connie Partain, Elijah James Pearse, Mark & Marianne Pluta, Anthony Reader Poole, Ms. Dee Protopappas, Chris & Helen Raft, Ernest Restituto, Sam & Irene Roberts, Sevi Rodgers, Mark & Family Russo, Robert Samore, Peter Subdeacon Schoell, Soula Sinipole, Joseph & Irene Southerd, Demetris & Eleni Spanos, Zoe Spiropoulos, James Stanei, Ion Strategos, Emmanuel & Erin Strategos, Jim & Candice Strategos, Medical Group Strategos, Paul & Jamie Strategos, Stephen & Nicole Sutyak, Ed & Joan Tanner, Anthony Thabit, Dr. Mitchell & Diana Theodore, Dena Ussery, Vicky Valos, Dr. Nick & Pamela Valos, Irene Valos, John & Becky Valos, Nick & Mary Valos, Tom & Patricia Vandarakis, James & Karen Vlahakis, George&AnnaMaria Xydas, Nick Xydas, Stanley Yohannes, Mesfin Yonan, Anna & Francesca Zervis, Jim & Sarah (Sophia) If you are a Steward and not on the list, or if you are not a Steward and are on the list by mistake, please notify the Church office.
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